Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1887-03-09
The Loves Opportunity.
BY MARY z. MOFFAT.

| lIselI upon l6r lap Ill al dDAuuuhAouu vi
grief. Her own face was pale with emotion,
and it was an effort to her to render her
voice steady, but she succeeded.
"My own Mauds," she said, 1--WE have
enc comfort which is often denied to those
in our situation. We have confidence IN
your father, although by some disastrous
mistake he has been adjudged guilty OF a
crime. IF lost my trust in him for an In
slant should 90 mad! But never, can
truly say, did a mean or dishonest action
sully his record until new that he has been
accused Of dsfrauding man of property OF
which he had no need, and Of which he en-
phatically denies any knowledge"
Maude raised her tear wet face and kissed
her mother. 4l.ssss Z.
"Teach me to be as brave as you are,
dear mamma lam ashamed that I am so
weak; but will not be; will follow your
example and hide my pain.'
'De not make the effort before me, my
sweet child, for cur wound ID the same
But it is right to present an imPassive front
to the world, or it will say of as that we be-
lieve our sufferer to be deserving of his pitt
full fate"
A pause ensusd. Both mother and daugh-
ter were following out their individual lines
Of thought.
| MOGuoT, DIV ldSt 6dlu uAduuO, l-nOSl-
tatingly, s'what must / say to Harryp 1t
bound to me after-after-what has hap
pened."
81 wrotea note, requesting him to come
to me at once as soon as he received it.
shall offer him his freedom, and if see a
sign of hesitation for even heeting instant,
our lives from that instant will be as far
sundered as though oceans rolled between
u.s."
Maude spoke with decision which rest
ed strangely upon one SO young, SO softly.
gracefully beautiful. Her large gray eyes
seemed to have become almost black, as she
raised them, intense with earnestness, to
her mothers face.
"You are right Maude. You must give
him the option about continuing the engage
ment; but pray that the God of the widow
and of the fatherless may not suffer anoth-
er affliction to overshadow my darling, who,
though not exactly fatherless, has lost for a
time the one who stands in that relation to
her. can bear sorrow when it strikes at
my own heart, but cannot be reconciled
that your young life should be crushed"
s'Then, mamma, you have fear that
Harry will not bear the test? You think
he will desert me? And again Maude
studied her mothers face with eyes sharp
with pain.
''No, Mauds, I would not judge any one,
much less Harry, so harshly as to say that
But the world is cold, and so are many of
the dwellers upon it, and some think SO
too cowardly to stand shoulder to shoulder
with loved one, and bear half the brunt
of calamity like this. 1t may be mistaken
kindness in me to try to prepare you for a
possible shock. If IL is, my darling, for
give me-"
| Maude threw her arms about her moth
er's neck with an impulsive:
s'Fergive my own dear mamma! She
who may be all that have left to me! You
could not do anything to require forgive
ness FROM mep
In her agitation Maude had failed to no.
tice that ring at the door-bell had been
heard and answered by the servant, SO that
even as she said this, the door was opened
and Harry Driscombe was ushered into
the room.
At first all Mauds's trouble vanished like
dream, and with glad ''Oh, Harry, it is
you n' she flew to meet him. Then, with a
thought of the change in her circumstances,
she drew back blushing and paling alter
nately. She did not give him time to speak
before she went on hurriedly to say what
was in her mind
"Harry, I sent fer you to tell you some
thing. Do not be angry with me for what
I am about to say, for it is because I love
yea SO dearly that / do it. When we be-
came engaged no cloud rested upon my
name, but now it is blackened. can bear
the stain patiently, for know that father
is an innocent man; but you Oh, Harry
hA h11r foyu
to bear to have your wife pointed out as the
daughter of man who had been sent to
prison?"
'sHarry's face expressed truly his feel
ings. 1t was troubled, irresolute soul
which looked out of his eyes. He loved
Maude dearly, but he was very proud spir-
tied, and it had CALLED him severely to think
of the disgrace which had come upon the
family. Yet to give her up would be tor
ture. But in that brief moment of hesita-
tien the option was no longer left with him.
| Maude's sensitive nature made her eyes
keen to read his feelings, and, with mighty
effort at self control, she crushed back her
tears, and said:
sAnd if you would be willing to subject
yourself to such trial, | could not allow
it. Here is your ring, Harry"
| "Will you not keep it, Maude-if for no
ether reason, for memento of our brief
happiness? And, Maude," with sudden
eagerness, eve need not be separated. We
can go far away from this place to COM
mence cur welded life-to spot where no
one need knew what has happened"
"And live lie p exclaimed Maude, with
an accent of scorn in her serrowful voice.
"No, Harry, unless l can be respected for
what I am-notwithstanding what has hap
| r =, nd ch
make you as unhappy as would be myself
Then, too, mamma and I are going to shut
up cur hense and go and live near my faith
er's place Of confinement SO that we can
visit him as often as is allowed, and keep up
his courage until the time comes when he
is again free man. Goodbye, Harry, and
may you be happy"
''Maude, cannot give you up p
"De not say that, Harry, for calmer
moment would find you regretting it. l
know you want to help me in my trouble;
but can see clearly that your courage is
not equal to facing the future with such a
weight clogging your aspirations. l could
not marry you, Harry, knowing that. But
we will be friends. Goodbye - And be-
fore Harry was conscious of her intention,
she caught his hand and covered it with
fearful, passionate kisses, as she put within
lit the glittering ring which had been the
symbol of their engagement.
Another moment and Harry was alone.
Perhaps even then if he had followed Maude
and insisted that he would not give her up,
he might have carried the day. But the
truth is he hardly knew his own mind, and
SO the golden opportunity passed and car
ried with it what had been the chief happi-
ness of his life.
Half stunned by what had occurred, he
went mechanically out of the room, and
soon the outer door shut him away from the
inmates of the mansion, and all was ovel
between the two who had been betrethed
lovers.
Descending the steps, Harry met Ray
Hertford. He recognized him with half
shamed, halfpained feeling, for he well
knew that to win Maude had been the dear
est hope of the new comer's heart; and now
when the prize had nearly become his own,
how could he have been SO mad as to let il
slip from his grasp?
Hertford extended his hand, saying:
slow is Door little Maude. Drsc0mbea